Gemotions

The letter lay open on her desk, a scarlet stain on the pristine white paper. Her stomach clenched so tightly she thought she might be sick. The words, once symbols of her triumph, were now weapons. Maya felt a sharp pain, somewhere behind her eyes.

She clutched her chest as if she might prevent the inevitable cascade of dread. Each breath was shallow and painful. The cheerful posters on her wall seemed to leer at her. The phone rang, shattering the fragile silence of her room. She ignored it, certain it was more bad news.

She wanted to cease to exist. She wanted to vanish into thin air. She sank onto her bed, wrapping her arms around herself, as if trying to hold herself together.